Ex-QB Dilfer predicts: 49ers will go 11-5, win a playoff game

If Smith plays badly in 2010, Dilfer is going to let him have it on the air.

“I think this is the first year we can fairly evaluate Alex. That sounds weird going into his sixth year. But he’s been through so much in terms of coaching turnover, personnel turnover, injuries,” Dilfer said.

“That said — and I’ve told him this — I am going to be much harder on him. My expectations are much higher because this is his sixth year and it should all come together.”

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With that as the backdrop, Dilfer is a believer. He was on a conference call with reporters this morning and I asked him if Smith was capable of taking the 49ers to the playoffs.

”If they don’t (make the postseason), then Alex is going to be criticized very harshly and I think that’s probably fair,” Dilfer said. “Now, saying all that, I believe he will meet the expectations. I believe he’s a different man after watching him the last couple of years grow up.

”He’s playing with a harder edge. He definitely has more command to his personality and he has complete ownership of this offense. I would argue he has more ownership of this offense than the people calling it. He knows where everyone is supposed to be at all times, all the nuances of it.

”He is ready for the moment. He feels like it’s his time to run the show and get things done in San Francisco like they haven’t been done.

”I think that’s going to happen. I think they’re an 11-5 football team that can get in the playoffs and win a game in the playoffs. If it doesn’t happen, it’ll probably be (Smith’s) last year in San Francisco.”

Dilfer spent 13 seasons in the NFL, finishing up with the 49ers in 2007. He won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, thanks mostly to a terrific supporting cast. A fearsome Ravens defense that season held opponents to just 10.3 points per game.

If the 49ers make the playoffs in 2010, it might be with a similar recipe. The team is counting on a top-tier defense and an offense that does just enough.

Dilfer said the pieces are in place. He went so far as to say that new personnel chief Trent Baalke is “arguably one of the top five personnel guys in the league.”

“They should easily win the West. They have by far — by far — the best personnel in the West, from top to bottom,” Dilfer said.

“Living in the Bay Area, seeing it day in and day out, they are a very, very talented football team. So it should come together for Alex. He should have a good year, he should go to the playoffs and I would even argue they should win a playoff game.”

Of all the beat writers, I think you have done the best job in not stirring the pot on the Nate Davis BS. Your pieces this week have focused on the upcoming game and the key people who will make a difference, Keep up the good work!

The Niners have to beat, no crush, the Seahawks this Sunday. Anything less will be dissatisfying. Their O linemen are probably introducing themselves to each other, as a Seattle newspaper cartoon declared.

hey there

Yeah, Dilfer has zero credibility. He was a huge Nolan supporter too…shows what this guy knows.

latopia

DB – “[Dlfer] won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, thanks mostly to a terrific supporting cast. A fearsome Ravens defense that season held opponents to just 10.3 points per game.If the 49ers make the playoffs in 2010, it might be with a similar recipe. The team is counting on a top-tier defense and an offense that does just enough.”

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Yup. In fact, I’d say the Ravens offensive recipe (2000) is closer than Da Bears (1985). Dilfer “led” BAL with a QBR of 76, Lewis led the running game with a Gore-like 4.4, their leading receiver was a tight-end (Sharpe) who had big games to match his big mouth.

The biggest diff with both models is the defense: Are these Niners pretenders or defenders? Is there a Woodson, McAlisteer, Duerson in the secondary? Can they bring consistent edge/pocket pressure when it counts a la Dent or Burnett? Are they a 24/7 wall or fair-weather levy against the run?

If the defense is for real, so is “talk” about the postseason. Anything after that is gravy.

MZ

Winning record? Yes. Win the west? They better. 11-5 and a playoff win? Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves Trent. Alex Smith hasn’t won a big game since the fiesta bowl in 2005.

I like where his head is but I don’t think the niners are good enough to be overconfident. All I’m saying.

RonO

Moron. If the Niners don’t make the playoffs it could be for a host of reasons. Why does he automatically assume it would be because of Alex Smith.

Typical talking head jackass, doesn’t matter what he says as long as his mouth keeps motoring.

DED

Calling my boy from Aptos a “Moron” and “Jackass”? Nice maturity shown by you. I guess p[laying in the NFL for 13 years still makes him talking head jackass only. You sound like someone who must hate their life badly to stoop this low.

Niners all the way!!!!

Mr. Relevant

#1 and #4… you define the word Moron. I’ll stop short of calling you one, but you should really read the preview part before you post your nonsense! Niners could easily go 11-5 and win more than 1 PS game. Of course you would know that if you’ve been paying attention. Sheeesh!!!

slimman

The 2000 Ravens had a far superior secondary to this 49ers squad. I fear that we may regress defensively. I think the pass rush is improved, and hope that it will help the secondary, but that secondary unit is under-talented. Here’s hoping Singletary squeezes a performance out of them.

I also agree that the personnel is good; I think that they may have had the best draft in the league this year. Of course, we need to play a season to tell, but it looks like we have some very promising young talent. The offensive line upgrade was huge, and those guys will get progressively better as the season goes on. I think the only mistake was the Westbrook signing, he will just eat reps when Anthony Dixon showed that he is ready for prime time.

Meh

This is feeling like a 9-7 season to me. We’ll see how things shape up and how the o-line holds up. Let’s check back 6-8 weeks into the season. If all things are looking good, there’s no reason to believe that 11-5 can’t happen, just depends on how well Mr. Smith does.

Five years of being a pro and people are still talking about how Alex Smith is “playing with a harder edge” and “…like where his head is at”. He should be WELL beyond these stages, so I don’t know. Seems like the 49ers are expecting something out of this guy that he’ll just never provide. I still think it’s time to call a spade a spade and a draft bust a draft bus and move on.

Stan

The 49ers are going to go 16-0 in the regular season and win the Super Bowl. Its common sense.

http://49erswebzone.com jons niners

we will go no worse than 11-5, and we will win more than one playoff game. anybody saying alex cant win in the playoffs are morons. they do not know about alex and what he has gone through. this year the niners have all the pieces except our weak links in the secondary who can easily turn that around very quickly. I am sick of these fake niner fans who say alex this and alex that, because its obvious they havent watched alex grow up these last 5-6 years with this team and this year just watching him in the few serious he played during pre season against the raiders and vikings, he has looked hi best, the line creates a pocket and he steps up in the pocket to avoid prssure now. also just like dilfer said first time we have has the same offensive cord for back to back years, havent had that since mike mccarthy left after alexs rookie year. he know the offense in and out, he can read the defense, and he has put in alot of hard work and time in the classroom study the playbook and film. he has the most weapons he has ever had in his career, the best team and supporting cast he has had in his career as well, alex will excell this season

http://49erswebzone.com jons niners

hey daniel i have been asking a couple beat writers about the depth chart on 49ers.com and nfl.com, they both have reggie sith starting over gholdson, is this true and if so why?…..none of the other beat writers have responded, they have been stuck on nate davis’s nuts this week, unlike you you have brought other stories. on yahoo sports.com they have gholdson over smith, theese are the only three websites i have checked, going to look at espn.com, and see if abc and nbc.com have anything as well

Daniel Brown

Hi, Jon. Thanks for the note. Not sure what’s up with those depth charts, but Dashon Goldson is definitely the starter ahead of Reggie smith at free safety. That’s been true all along and the depth chart handed out to reporters yesterday lists it that way as well. Smith is the No. 2 guy at free safety, with Taylor Mays listed as the backup strong safety behind Michael Lewis.

toby

dilfer should have been asked last year at the start of the season who the better qb was….smith or hill being he competed against both….actually i never thought much of dilfer and figured the only reason he started here was his ravens connection with noland……any way this house of cards 2010 49ers already has shown signs of collapse…they think that if the coach doen’t talk critically about him and they don’t let carr compete with him and they demote nate davis they can preserve his frgile psyche…..he should be in a glass bubble to protect him from the pressure of the nfl and possibly dilfers negative comments once the season starts and the real smith emerges again.

Amir

I can’t wait for the season to start and all the speculation be put to rest.

Drew

I like Trent’s prediction. If the can offense can get the power game going along with solid defense, this record fits.

FrankGore>Life

You said it Stan the Man im hoping the same thing altho i really dont care as long as they beat the ravens in the super bowl